Following the Rhine

This is basically a tourist map from the late 19th century, which was “picturesquely and topographicaly [sic] drawn and engraved on steel” (subtitle). The Rhine valley is famous for old cities, castles, and romantic views. Already in the 19th century this was one of the most popular and famous routes for tourists. This map, with its accordion-style fold, allowed one to keep a sturdy, informative map at hand, without dealing with a scroll.

Saint John’s University Rare Book Collection​

Training the mountains

Built in the mid-19th century, the Brenner Railway was a technological marvel for its time. The elevations and physical terrain to overcome were tremendous. Of the original larger set of materials related to the construction of the railway, Saint John’s only owns this uniquely styled, fold-out map and an accompanying chart showing the elevations. The map only follows the narrow path of the Brenner Pass, and turns when the railway’s route turns.